Our research is based on the underlying hypothesis that the ability to inhibit an oncogenic pathway and block cancer growth will vary based on cell lineage and the complement of mutations within the tumor. To design rational therapeutic studies, we must define not only the spectrum of genetic changes within particular tumor types but also the mechanisms by which these alterations support tumor growth, survival, metastasis, and other hallmarks of cancer.

With these goals in mind, my laboratory’s efforts have focused on the functional characterization of human tumors using a chemical biology approach with the goal of identifying “druggable” alterations that drive cancer development and progression. The data we generate are then used to develop rational therapeutic strategies focused on molecularly defined subclasses of cancer patients.